bioRxiv Science⌕ Search
Home/Archive/bioRxiv

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.04.03.588015

Glenn circulation causes early and progressive shunting in a surgical model of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations

Wan, T.·Rousseau, H.·Mattern, C.·Tabor, M.·Hodges, M. R.·Ramchandran, R.·Spearman, A. D.
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

BackgroundPulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) universally develop in patients with single ventricle congenital heart disease (CHD). Single ventricle PAVMs have been recognized for over 50 years, yet they are poorly understood, and we lack any medical therapies. To improve our understanding of single ventricle PAVM initiation and progression, we developed a surgical rat model of Glenn circulation and characterized PAVM physiology over multiple time points. MethodsUsing adult rats, we performed a left thoracotomy and end-to-end anastomosis of the left superior vena cava to the left pulmonary artery (unilateral Glenn), or sham surgical control. To assess for PAVM physiology in the left lung, we quantified intrapulmonary shunting using two independent methods (bubble echocardiography and fluorescent microsphere injection) at 2 weeks, 2 months, and 6 months. Additionally, we performed arterial blood gas measurements to assess oxygenation and plethysmography to assess ventilation. ResultsWe identified pathologic intrapulmonary shunting by bubble echocardiography as early as 2 weeks post-Glenn surgery, and shunting continued chronically at 2- and 6-months post-Glenn. Shunting also progressed over time, demonstrated by increased shunting of 10{micro}m microspheres at 6 months. Shunting was accompanied by mildly decreased arterial oxygenation, but there were no differences in ventilation as quantified by plethysmography. ConclusionsOur surgical animal model of unilateral Glenn circulation re-creates the clinical condition of single ventricle PAVMs with early and progressive intrapulmonary shunting. This model is poised to characterize single ventricle PAVM pathophysiology and lead to mechanistic and therapeutic discovery. Graphic Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=78 SRC="FIGDIR/small/588015v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (32K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@b1c722org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1889af9org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1767519org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1c230_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

Source connections

Explore related subjects

physiologyPreprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Wan, T., Rousseau, H., Mattern, C., Tabor, M., Hodges, M. R., Ramchandran, R., Spearman, A. D.. 2024-04-07. Glenn circulation causes early and progressive shunting in a surgical model of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.04.03.588015

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Rad and Phospholamban are Key Drivers of the Ventricular Adrenergic Response and Stress-Induced Arrhythmia

The adrenergic response is a fundamental mechanism that regulates heart rate (chronotropy), cardiac contractility (inotropy) and relaxation (lusitropy). Adrenergic stress is also a recognized trigger of arrhythmia in disease. Yet, our understanding of the underlying molecular basis remains incomplete. Protein kinase A (PKA) and the calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) phosphorylate multiple targets proposed to participate in the adrenergic response, including the GTP-binding protein Rad, phospholamban (PLB) and ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2). Here we demonstrate that phosphorylation of both Rad and PLB is necessary for inotropy and lusitropy. We show that changes in cardiac contractility and relaxation are primarily dependent on intracellular calcium handling. Finally, we report that Rad and PLB control stress-induced arrhythmogenesis, despite the phosphorylation of other pro-arrhythmic targets. We have identified the essential molecular components of the adrenergic response, resolving a long-standing debate in cardiac excitation-contraction coupling and refining current models of sympathetic regulation in health and disease.

physiology↗
bioRxiv2026

MCT6 is an intestinal Lac-Phe exporter required for metformin-associated weight loss

Metabolites are increasingly recognized as circulating molecules that regulate physiology, yet the mechanisms that couple intracellular production to organism-wide action remain poorly defined. Using the anorexigenic metabolite Lac-Phe as a tractable system, we identify the orphan transporter MCT6 (SLC16A5) as a physiologic intestinal Lac-Phe exporter. This mechanism controls the extent to which intracellularly synthesized Lac-Phe acquires systemic activity. MCT6 transports Lac-Phe, mediates its cellular efflux, and is required for maintaining its blood levels in mice following strong glycolytic stimuli. Both global and intestinal epithelial-specific deletion of MCT6 confers resistance to metformin-associated weight loss on a high-fat diet. Bypassing the transport defect with exogenous Lac-Phe normalizes the body weight phenotype of MCT6-KO mice. Together, these data connect MCT6 to metformin pharmacology and intestinal lactate metabolism, and more generally underscore the importance of transporter-mediated release in the conversion of an intracellular metabolic state into a circulating metabolite effector.

physiology↗
bioRxiv2026

DEPP1 connects nutrient and oxygen availability to maintenance of muscle mass

Nutrients and oxygen are sensed within the muscle to control growth and disruption of either signal is sufficient to lead to muscle atrophy. While nutrient limitation is sensed via a conserved transcriptional atrophy program (commonly referred to as atrogenes) dictated via the Forkhead box O (FoxO) transcription factors, how low oxygen promotes muscle loss remains unknown. Accordingly, the downstream mechanisms that initiate muscle loss when oxygen and nutrients are limiting are only partly understood. Here, we find Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF), the master regulator of our adaptation to low oxygen, is necessary and sufficient to mediate muscle loss under hypoxia in mice. RNA sequencing in skeletal muscle isolated from starved or hypoxic mice identifies Decidual Protein Induced by Progesterone 1 (Depp1), which is induced in skeletal muscle when nutrients or oxygen is limiting via FoxO1 and HIF activation, respectively. Whole body Depp1 loss in mice reduces muscle loss under fasting and hypoxia and skeletal muscle Depp1 overexpression is sufficient to mediate muscle atrophy. Mechanistically, Depp1 localizes to the mitochondria and is necessary to control autophagy activation and mitochondrial degradation in skeletal muscle. Taken together, our studies nominate Depp1 as a new atrogene necessary for muscle loss under multiple atrophy scenarios involving FoxO and HIF.

physiology↗